THE GREAT LIBEL ACTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1769, 28 July 1888, Page 1

THE GREAT LIBEL ACTION.

London. July 28. Mr Parmdl objected to the extent »nd scope of the inquiry, both on the ground of ixpense and because it would ptobuklv ba prolonged for years. It realh intended as a means of discrediting <h<' great Irish movement. The anthenticiM of the letters produced by The Tim"*might be settled in a week, j and (hi* ought to be done before any |Otber inveetigitiors were set on foo*. Mr Gladstone urged that;* Selrr Committee was the proper tribunal to conduct the inquiry. Mr Matthews said that the anxiet; shown to limit the powers of .the com mission created a suspicion .that M> Paroe I did not desire full inquiry. July 24. In tbe House of Commons kr Smith proposed that the commission { to inquire into the charges against Mr Parn I should consul of the Right Hon, S r James Uannen (President of, the Pro bate, Divorce ami Admiralty Cnins). and Justices Sir Charles Day and Sir Archibald Levin-Smith, of the Qu-'en’* Bench Division. Mr Parnell declared that the Gomn menl intended inquiring, n' t in o hi* conduct alone, but into (ho actions < I (be National Leagua in Great B'i «i ‘, Ireland, and America, but they roul l not hot beUre he would rm rg* with character un'arnished, The commission should be confined to inquiring into th charges against specific ra-mbers ot; Parliament, and all other pets ins eh' u’d be excluded from its scope, Sir Charles Ross II said the tribu’inl as proposed was unfair, unworkable an I interminable, He would prefer that ib charges bo inquired into by a partisan Londi n jury. Tbe debate was adjourned until n- x day. The Commissi m Bill was retd a second time on the voices. During tbe discussion on (ba Purnell Cammissioa Bill, Mr Chamberlain said that the apparent reluctance to face a full inquiry bid not shaken his opinion of Mr Parnell’s integrity, though be urged tbat ths inquiry should bs most complete in order to remove any shadow of doubt rf Mr Parnell or any of his party being connected with the outrages. July 25. In tbe House of Commons to-day Sir W. Vernon Harcourt made a violent attack on Sir It, fi, Webster,, AttorneyGeneral, f r declaring that ,ha might prosecute Parnell it he believed (be charges against him. Mr Gladstone said the Government bad been unable to discover any Parnellite complicity in crime, At the rrqurst of Mr Parnell, Mr Laboucbere and Sir J. N. McKenna withdrew tbrir amendments to the Commission Bill. The Bill will be committed on Monday.